We all have needs in every area of life. A pile of bills needs extra cash to pay them off. A negative doctor’s report says we need healing. Our broken relationships need restoration. Our challenged emotions need peace. Our list of needs seems endless.
Thankfully, our Abba Father has promised to provide for all of them. Our needs met is part of our inheritance as children of God (Galatians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 8:9).
And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19, AMPC, emphasis added).
But God, in His goodness, doesn’t just supply our needs, as wonderful as that is. His desire to give us more than we need—surplus that goes beyond necessities. And this isn’t just His desire; it is who He is as El Shaddai.
El Shaddai
God introduced Himself to Abraham as Almighty God in Genesis 17:1. This name translates in the Hebrew as El Shaddai, meaning the “all sufficient one” and “the God of more than enough.” At the same time, He promised to multiply Abraham “exceedingly.” From the start, God made it clear that He wasn’t content to leave His people small and insignificant. He had plans to make them many, great, and prosperous (Genesis 12:1-3,Deuteronomy 28). Even when the children of Israel left Egypt, they didn’t just leave free. They left free with great riches—more than enough (Exodus 12:36)!
The Old Testament is not the only place where God proved His abundant nature. Through Jesus, he expanded “more than enough” through His miracles. Take, for instance, when He turned water into wine. The miracle wine was better than the first (John 2:1-11). And when his disciples went fishing, they miraculously caught so many fish that the net began to break, and the boat began to sink (Luke 5:4-11). Then when He multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed thousands, there were many baskets of food left over (John 6:1-14).
Greatest of all is the salvation Jesus provided for us. This sacrifice, however, didn’t just cleanse us from our sins so we could scrape by the gates of heaven. Instead of simply taking care of our necessity of forgiveness, He gave us more so we could live victoriously while here on the earth.
When we received Jesus as Lord and Savior, He made us the seed of Abraham, and grafted us into God’s family (Romans 1:1-24, Galatians 3:29). God’s abundant nature is available to us, except our abundance goes even deeper than anything Abraham ever experienced. Like the Israelites exiting Egypt, God gave lavished us with great riches upon our exit from the Kingdom of Darkness (Colossians 1:13-14). He gave us authority over the devil, the spiritual gifts, the redemptive gifts, the Holy Spirit, and much more! (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:6-8; John 14:26; Luke 10:19).
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows) (Philippians 4:19, AMPC, emphasis added).
Pass It On
Once we’ve received the abundance of Redemption, it’s easy to take them for granted. We can easily become selfish and greedy, hanging on to what’s ours without any thought of anyone else. This, however, was not God’s plan. As much as He loves us and wants us to have the best, He does not want us to hoard our redemptive benefits. He wants us to lavishly share them like God has shared them with us.
Jesus sent out these twelve, charging them, Go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give (Matthew 10:5-8, AMPC, emphasis added).
The extra finances and material goods God provides are meant to bless those in need around us. That authority and the use of the name of Jesus weren’t just meant to help us but to free other people as well. He gave us the redemptive and spiritual gifts so we could bless the body of Christ. The purpose of every blessing we have received, no matter how small, is to impact the world.
And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever! And [God] Who provides seed for the Sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:8-11, AMPC, emphasis added).
Like the world, we may, over time, begin to put our trust in our abundance, rather than in the Abundance-Giver. Whether spiritual or physical, we need to remember that our abundance came as a gift from our Creator. They cannot sustain us unless we submit them humbly to God. God alone works through them to get a job done. Without His grace on them, they are unreliable.
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life (1 Timothy 6:17-19, NLT).
Just like His El Shaddai nature promises, every time we give selflessly to bless others, He multiplies that blessing back into our lives. It’s not just a return, but more than we gave in the first place. The principle of sowing and reaping proves that we can never out-give El Shaddai (Luke 6:38, Malachi 3:10)!
And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity] (2 Corinthians 9:10, AMPC).
No Need Too Big
We may look at our lack and say it’s too difficult. It may appear to be hopeless. But whatever need we have is never too hard for God (Jeremiah 32:27). Consider what Jesus did on the Cross: “He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?” (Romans 8:32, AMPC) If God can fulfill our need for eternal life, then He can manage any other need we may have. Just like His elaborate gift of Jesus, His provision won’t be skimpy; it will be above anything we could ever ask or think!
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it) (Ephesians 3:20-21, AMPC, emphasis added).
Christa Madrid 